At the summit of Rabbit Ears Pass some dedicated runners from
Elbert County had a peak experience.
The What Are They Thinking local running club completed the
195-mile Wild West Relay last Saturday in 26 hours, placing fourth
out of 60 teams. The team of 12 is made up of the Kiowa Cross
Country team, its coach Jill Miller and a runner’s father; as well
as single runners representing the Elizabeth, Calhan and Limon high
schools.
What does such a feat mean to the average person? It means the
12-person team ran from Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs across
the Continental Divide. It means from start to finish the runners
faced an elevation gain up to 9,500 feet. It means they ran at
night under a full moon and slept in sleeping bags along the side
of the road between the three legs each runner had to complete. It
means each runner ran from 12-19 miles competing against adults in
top physical condition.
What does such a run mean in the lives of Nigel Miller, Geoff
Morgan, Dan Rule, Mike McClain, Erin Kochivar, Weston Wilson,
Dalton Dial, Michael Rule, Brent Bailey, Matt Rowles, Zach Oeser
and coach Miller?
“Nothing I give them will ever be hard enough,” said
Miller.
To speak of the life-changing experience still brings tears to
the coach’s eyes.
Miller commended the boys for their dedication, perseverance and
camaraderie as a team. She and her team were encouraged by the
support they received from the other teams and the Elbert County
community as they trained for the gruelling event.
As the boys returned home from Steamboat Springs through the
Eisenhower Tunnel, Miller said, one young runner looked at the
steep grade and remarked, “This isn’t so steep.”
While it may be a long time before these young runners find
something steep enough to challenge them, it could take a life-time
to forget this mountain-top experience.